Ebooks

With the steady proliferation of ebook readers and apps, you can now get the tales you want to tell into the hands of readers via your own website, as well as through resellers like Amazon, Google, and Barnes & Noble.

In order to do that, you will need to convert your edited manuscript from your word processing program to the formats ebook readers can display.

Which formats can you convert to?

Other formats are available upon request, but these are the most portable and usable on multiple platforms.

I will not convert ebooks to locked Digital Rights Management (DRM) formats.

I don’t usually download ePub files. The layout is often weird, and I prefer to run an HTML document through Calibre so I can tweak it to look the way I want. Since you allow downloading of multiple formats [on dancingfoolspress.com], though, I went ahead and started with the ePub, figuring I could fiddle with the HTML later if I needed to.

I didn’t need to. Your ePub is gorgeous.

— Jillian MacLeod

How long will conversion take?

The actual amount of time it will take depends entirely upon the quality of the original digital files you provide and the complexity of the final product. The project will be finished and returned to you by a mutually agreed-upon date. If I have the time, I’m happy to do expedited turn-around (under forty-eight hours) for an additional charge.

I already have ebook files of my story, will you clean them up for me?

Certainly.

I found a mistake in my manuscript! Can you fix it and send me the updated files?

Certainly. Please note that this applies to minor typo and formatting fixes only (e.g., you meant to italicize a word and it wasn’t, adding or removing a paragraph break, fixing a typo, etc.). If you have more than a few minor fixes, you will be charged the full conversion fee, so make sure you’ve had the manuscript edited before sending it to me for conversion.

Will you upload my converted manuscript to third-party resellers?

I will not upload to places like Barnes & Noble, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, or Google Books for you, but I’m working on walk-throughs that will help you do it yourself, designed to take the frustration out of dealing with the sites’ quirks. Contact me if you’d like to be notified when these walk-throughs are released.

How does this process work?

Contact me using the form below, indicating that you’re interested in having your manuscript converted to the various ebook formats. In the details field, let me know what formats you’d like to convert your manuscript to, how many words and chapters the completed manuscript is, if there are graphics, and the desired completion date. I’ll email you a contract detailing the specifics: what kinds of conversion have been agreed upon, the projected completion date, and the price.

After I receive the signed contract and 50% deposit, I’ll begin converting the files. I’ll need the manuscript, graphics (including covers), and metadata to perform the conversion. Metadata is information attached to the ebook to provide additional information to the reader, e.g., author, publisher, ISBN, series, categories, tags, etc. If needed, as part of the contract I can walk you through the process of deciding what metadata should be included.

How much does this cost?

For text-only books, if you have digital versions of your manuscript and cover artwork, please view the rates page for more information. Please note that the listed prices are for text-only books. Contact me for a quote to convert books containing tables and graphics.

An estimate of the total cost will be emailed to you before any work begins. There is a minimum charge of $30, and hourly services are charged in fifteen-minute increments. A 50% deposit is required before any work begins.

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EBOOK DESIGN SERVICES